Low glycemic index foods - for dieting and more

Low glycemic index foods include foods that provide the body with a small amount of glucose after digestion in the gastrointestinal tract.

All products that contain carbohydrates have a certain glycemic index, which is calculated depending on how much the food raises blood glucose levels. Products with a high glycemic index cause a sharp surge in blood sugar levels, and their index exceeds 70. When the index value is from 40 to 70 units, they say that the glycemic index is average.

What is considered a low glycemic index? A low glycemic index is considered to be between 10 and 40 units, although some sources, such as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “raise” the upper limit of this category of products to 50 or even 55 units.

We remind you that meat, poultry and fish do not contain carbohydrates and do not have a glycemic index. And although food containing fats and proteins contributes to an overall increase in blood sugar levels, these effects are not reflected in the glycemic index (GI).

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Low Glycemic Index Diet

A diet with a low glycemic index is necessary for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, pathologies of the gallbladder and pancreas and, naturally, obesity.

A rapid rise in blood glucose (from foods with a high glycemic index) sends a powerful signal to the beta cells of the pancreas to increase insulin production. Over the next few hours, high insulin levels can cause a sharp drop in blood glucose (hypoglycemia). In contrast, foods with a low glycemic index cause a slower, smaller rise in blood sugar.

In world dietetics, carbohydrates with a low glycemic index are also ranked by glycemic (or dietary) load. This indicator is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index of the carbohydrates consumed in grams and dividing the result by 100. For example, the glycemic index of melon is 69, and the glycemic load of a standard portion is only 4 units; watermelon, respectively, is 92 and 4, pumpkin - 75 and 3, pineapple - 59 and 7.

In addition, according to the opinion of nutritionists from the Australian Association of Healthy Eating, in addition to the glycemic index and glycemic load of certain foods, it is necessary to take into account their nutrients and, of course, calorie content.

So, cantaloupe contains a full range of nutrients, including vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber. Watermelon is rich in antioxidants, has vitamins A and C, and contains lycopene, which is good for the heart. A low-glycemic diet can include pumpkin due to its low glycemic load. This vegetable, which can be used to prepare a variety of dishes, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber. As for pineapple, it should be remembered that it contains a substance called bromelain, which has potential as an anti-inflammatory agent for gastrointestinal diseases.

The classic low glycemic index diet was developed by Michel Montignac three decades ago. When following it, you need to eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index (see table), as well as lean meat, poultry, and fish. However, they should not be eaten together with products with a GI higher than 25. Butter should be replaced with vegetable oil, and dairy products should be chosen with a low percentage of fat.

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Low Glycemic Index Menu

A menu with a low glycemic index can only be approximate. So, for breakfast you can eat cottage cheese with sour cream (100-120 g), a slice of bran bread and a small piece of cheese, drink a cup of coffee. Or instead of cottage cheese, make an omelet from two eggs.

For a second breakfast – a portion of yogurt (sweet – no more than 70 g, unsweetened – up to 250 g).

Lunch may consist of borscht, vegetable or pea soup (200 ml), meat patty with stewed cabbage or buckwheat porridge with mushrooms and unsweetened compote.

Fruits are best for an afternoon snack. And for dinner, there could be vegetable stew with poached sea fish or sausages with a salad of fresh cabbage and carrots.

Here are some dishes with a low glycemic index: omelet (49), lentil soup (42), al dente pasta and spaghetti (40), boiled beans (40), eggplant caviar (40), cocoa with milk without sugar (40), raw carrot salad (35), fried cauliflower (35), vegetarian borscht (30), vegetable soups (30), yellow split pea soup (22), radish salad with green onions (15), sauerkraut (15), boiled asparagus (15), salad of fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and bell peppers (15), boiled mushrooms (15), raw white cabbage salad (10).

Low Glycemic Index Recipes

And now, some low glycemic index recipes.

Chicken with mushrooms

To prepare this dish you will need two chicken fillets and 5 pieces of raw champignons and one small onion, two tablespoons of refined sunflower oil, salt and pepper to taste.

The chicken fillet is cut into medium-sized pieces, the mushrooms are cleaned and cut into thin crosswise slices, the onion is finely chopped.

Pour oil into a heated frying pan and add chicken and onion, lightly fry. Then add mushrooms, salt and pepper. After about five minutes, pour about 100 ml of boiling water into the frying pan, cover the frying pan with a lid. Stew the dish for about 15 more minutes. This process can be replaced by simmering in the oven - for 20-25 minutes at a temperature of +180 ° C.

A good side dish to serve with this chicken is a salad of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes or cauliflower fried in breadcrumbs.

American style beans

To prepare this dish, you will need 500 g of white beans, 200 g of lean beef, 2 medium onions, a teaspoon of cloves and mustard powder, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, half a teaspoon of ground black pepper, salt to taste.

Beans are soaked overnight (in cold water). Soaked beans are boiled in salted water for 25 minutes and the water is drained. Chopped meat is mixed with onions, spices and placed in a saucepan with a tight lid, beans are added there, 0.5 liters of water are poured in (so that the contents are completely covered with water). The saucepan is covered with a lid and placed in an oven heated to +175 ° C. The cooking process will take 2-2.5 hours, during which it is necessary to ensure that the beans are covered with liquid, and add water if necessary.

The same principle is used to prepare a Mexican dish with a low glycemic index – chili con carne. Only the beans should be red, and instead of cloves and mustard powder, put hot red pepper, garlic and tomatoes (or tomato paste).

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Low glycemic index gainer

Gainers are sports nutrition products that are high-calorie mixtures of complex carbohydrates and soy proteins, whey concentrate and casein. To improve metabolism, vitamins, microelements, and amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine, etc.) are added to these mixtures.

The purpose of gainers is to promote muscle mass growth. According to the manufacturers of these food supplements, modern gainers contain carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, which is especially good for athletes prone to rapid weight gain.

A low glycemic index gainer should contain as little maltodextrin or dextrin maltose as possible, as these are long-chain complex carbohydrates with a very high glycemic index.

Low glycemic index foods provide a smaller and smoother release of glucose into the blood. What does this give? Firstly, less insulin is needed to utilize glucose from these foods. And secondly, by consuming low glycemic index foods, you can avoid storing fat in reserve.

Low Glycemic Index Food Chart

GI	Products
45	Rye, bran and whole grain bread, brown rice, durum wheat pasta, peaches, nectarines
40	Buckwheat, oatmeal, rice noodles, whole milk, canned green peas, apples, oranges, tangerines, plums, strawberries, dried dates
35	Pears, gooseberries, pomegranate, green peas (fresh), carrots (raw)
30	Beans (all types), black beans, lentils, prunes, low-fat cottage cheese, cream (10% fat)
25	Grapefruit, raspberry, dark bitter chocolate
20	Barley, eggplant, tomatoes, cherries, blackberries, cranberries, lemon
15	Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, cucumbers, spinach, artichokes, olives, green beans, celery; walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, peanuts, soy cheese (tofu)
10	Mushrooms, white cabbage, broccoli, bell peppers, onions, avocado
5	Parsley, dill, lettuce, basil, coriander

Vegetables with a low glycemic index, as follows from the table, are all vegetables that do not contain starch, and most of them are: carrots, eggplants, tomatoes, onions, white cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, broccoli, lettuce, green beans, sweet peppers, etc.

Low glycemic index fruits do not include mango (glycemic index 51), bananas (52), fresh apricots (57), grapes (58), pineapple (59). The glycemic index of fruits is usually one, and the degree of their ripeness is not taken into account, but riper fruits contain more sugar.

Low glycemic index cereals and, accordingly, low glycemic index porridges are buckwheat, oatmeal and corn porridge cooked in water, which have a GI of 40, as well as pearl barley porridge with an index of 22 units. As for millet and barley groats, they are, as they say, just on the border, since their glycemic index is 50.

Low glycemic index sweets are confectionery products for diabetics with (xylitol, sorbitol, fructose) or with sweeteners (saccharin, cyclamate, acesulfame potassium and/or aspartame).

By the way, about ten years ago, Harvard Medical School took the trouble to calculate the glycemic index of some products based on a portion. So, if the glycemic index of white rice is 90, then 150 g of this product has an index of 43; the GI of a white baguette is 95, and a 30 g piece is only 15. And having eaten 150 g of baked potatoes, which have a GI of 98, you have a glycemic index of about 33 units.